William Ashford Ferguson, Jr.
Mr. Ferguson passed away on November 26, 2024. He was born on March 24, 1929, in Hattiesburg, MS, to parents Leah Morris Ferguson and William Ashford Ferguson, Sr., and was raised in Bristow, Oklahoma. He was preceded in death by his parents, his daughter, Candace, and his first wife, Faye Vann Ferguson. He is survived by his second wife, Nell Bryan Ferguson; his daughter and son-in-law, Denise Ferguson and Tom Lingan; his son, Dean Ferguson; and his granddaughters, Rebecca Ferguson and Emily Ferguson.
Mr. Ferguson enjoyed life to the fullest, enjoying each of his 95 years on earth. He attributed this to good family, good friends, his faith and gratifying work. Every day brought new experiences, which he faced with a great mind, good sense and a glad heart.
Mr. Ferguson graduated from Bristow High School and then from Oklahoma University in 1952, with a degree in Industrial Management Engineering. This led to employment with Hughes Tool Company in Houston, TX, designing drill bits for use in the petroleum industry. Mr. Ferguson next was drafted into the U.S. Army and served as a radar and computer repair instructor. His last assignment was at Redstone Arsenal, AL.
Upon leaving the Army in 1956, Mr. Ferguson became a civilian employee at Redstone Arsenal. He found this work fascinating because it was at the forefront of missile technology. He then became a NASA employee in June 1960 when part of the arsenal was transferred to the new NASA organization. This was an exciting time at NASA as it was competing with the Air Force for funding and for a dominant role in space. Mr. Ferguson’s early years at NASA included manufacturing, testing, and assembly of the follow-on next generations of vehicles and spacecraft from Nike Ajax rockets through the Saturn programs. Later years included increased responsibilities for project management and studies of advanced concepts.
His active interests included flying small airplanes and obtaining his commercial and instrument ratings, building a catamaran sailboat and going on to race and win regattas in it, traveling across 49 states and to several countries, and building a steel-framed house. He also enjoyed bridge, fishing, golf, and pulling for the Oklahoma University Sooners. He served as a church deacon and as an officer in his Kiwanis Club. His reading interests included histories, biographies, current events and the economy.
Visitation will be from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m. Friday, December 13, 2024, at Laughlin Service Funeral Home. A graveside service will follow at Maple Hill.
In lieu of flowers, please make a contribution to the Huntsville Land Trust or to your favorite charity.
